Skip to main content
clothes drier

clothes drier

2.0
A machine that uses warm air to dry wet clothes
  • noun
  • /kloʊðz ˈdraɪər/
  • UK
translation icon : secadora de ropa
  • After the wash cycle, she put the laundry into the clothes drier to finish the job.

Examples

  • The clothes drier broke down during the winter, making it hard to keep up with laundry.

  • Some people prefer to hang their clothes outside instead of using a clothes drier.

  • The clothes drier is broken.

  • My clothes drier works perfectly.

  • After the wash cycle, she put the laundry into the clothes drier to finish the job.

  • Some people prefer to hang their clothes outside instead of using a clothes drier.

  • The clothes drier broke down during the winter, making it hard to keep up with laundry.

Synonyms

dryer
vsclothes drier
161 1.0

A machine that removes water from clothes by blowing warm air

is mainly about drying washed clothes usually by circulating heated air
clothes dryer
vsclothes drier
  • US
2 1.2

A machine that removes water from wet clothes using warm air

is the alternative spelling used in other varieties of English
tumble drier
vsclothes drier
  • UK
1 2.6

A machine that dries wet clothes by spinning them in warm air

emphasizes drying by circulated heated air rather than drum spinning
spin dryer
vsclothes drier
  • US
1 3.2

A machine that dries clothes by spinning them to remove water

uses circulated heated air to dry rather than removing water only by spinning
tumble-dryer
vsclothes drier
  • UK
2.6

A machine that spins wet clothes with hot air to remove water

focuses on drying generally through circulated heated air rather than drum tumbling
spin drier
vsclothes drier
  • UK
2.1

An electric machine that removes water from clothes by turning them quickly

relies on heated air circulation to dry clothes rather than just spinning them

How Fast

tumble-dryer
  • UK
2.6
clothes drier
  • UK
2.0
clotheshorse
  • UK
7.5

Surface Forms

clothes drier singular

Morphology

clothes + drier

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'clothes' (wearable items) with 'drier' (something that removes moisture), yielding a device for drying clothes. This is a regular noun+noun compounding pattern common in English and other languages, so an average B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

The name clothes drier comes from a simple picture: wet clothes tumble inside a warm drum and a drier blows hot air to take the water away. So clothes drier means a machine used 'to dry' clothes after washing.